4000 Egyptian expats cross daily: Head of Salloum border

Head of the Salloum border crossing with Libya, Hussein Maabady, told privately owned Al-Masry Al-Youm newspaper on Tuesday that approximately 4000 Egyptians cross the border daily, fleeing intense armed clashes between Islamist militias and forces loyal to the renegade former military general Khalifa Haftar.

Among those trying to cross were 807 who didn’t possess passports or identification papers, Maabady said. In such cases, individuals are referred to the police for further investigation, slowing their passage into Egypt, he added.

Matrouh Governor General Badr Tantawi instructed security forces to eliminate obstacles for returning expatriates and quicken the process so they can travel back to their homes. He also advised them to make exceptions for those without the means to pay the LE25 entrance fee at the border, in an effort to ease the process.

The situation has proven dangerous for Egyptians attempting to flee. Two were killed earlier in the week at the Jerba border crossing between Libya and Tunisia due to overcrowding. On Thursday, 15 others were killed by armed assailants who were reportedly targeting Libyans attempting to hide among Egyptian expatriates.

A military ship was deployed to Tunisian Jerba seaport on Monday morning to assist in the evacuation of Egyptians held back on their way out of Libya.

Some 145 expatriates were flown back from Tunisian Qabes airport as part of the government’s attempt to alleviate the pressure on Egyptian expatriates. According to the Minister of Civil Aviation, 3699 have been evacuated by air so far.  

Foreign Affairs Minister Sameh Shoukry said in a press conference on Monday that 2500 Egyptians had safely returned from Egypt. Shoukry denied rumors that the Egyptian Armed Forces would intervene in Libya, adding that despite increasing concern over the worsening situation, “the Egyptian army is only tasked with protecting the borders of the Egyptian state.”